How to Determine the Quality of a Diamond?
The quality of a diamond is determined by the 4Cs: Carat, Cut, Clarity, and Color. The 5th C is Confidence.
The carat weight, color, clarity, or shape of the diamond will determine its quality.
The brilliance of the cut is crucial in assessing its quality, in addition to color, clarity, and carat weight.
Understanding Diamond Quality: A Diamond Expert Explains the 4Cs
In this article, the renowned diamond expert Celinni, a leading diamond expert in France for six generations, explains the different qualities of a diamond using the 4C method. You’ll learn about various quality criteria for a diamond such as K, J, I, H, G, F, E, D, as well as SI2, SI1, VS2, VS1, VVS2, VVS1, IF, FL.
The diamond industry and the jewelry industry, in general, are highly regulated with certificates and standardized with technical codes known only to professionals and enthusiasts but rarely to the general public. In this article, with the assistance of a diamond expert based in our offices in Paris, we will explain and teach you how to understand the quality of a diamond and decipher the codes of diamonds like K, J, I, H, G, F, E, D, and SI2, SI1, VS2, VS1, VVS2, VVS1, IF, FL.
It’s important to note that each diamond must be sold with its certificate or, more commonly, its diamond identity card. There are several certificates, but they serve the same purpose: to know the quality of the diamond. The difference lies in whether it is issued and examined by an independent gemological laboratory (GIA, HRD, IGI, AGS, etc.).
Diamond Quality with the 4C Method
What Is the 4C Method for a Diamond?
The 4C method is an international reference for describing the specific characteristics and qualities of each diamond. 4C is an abbreviation of the English words:
– Cut
– Color
– Clarity
– Carat
This means in French:
– Taille (Cut)
– Couleur (Color)
– Pureté (Clarity)
– Poids (Carat)
The 4C method was created to harmonize and standardize the quality criteria of a diamond internationally, bridging the gap between different countries and continents. It can be considered a language that defines a diamond’s value, rarity, and quality.
Understanding Diamond Quality: Cut (Taille)
This criterion is the most complex for the general public to understand but is the most crucial of the 4Cs for determining diamond quality. Diamond cut refers to the angles and proportions of the diamond, which affect how light reflects off the diamond and, consequently, its brilliance.
In the cut criterion, it is evaluated whether the diamond is well-cut, which results in optimal brilliance, or if the cut is too shallow or too deep, leading to suboptimal light reflection and affecting the diamond’s brilliance. To simplify the selection, a grading scale has been established within the 4C method, ranging from the best brilliance to the least:
– Ideal
– Premium
– Very Good
– Good
– Fair & Poor
If you want more information about the cut, don’t hesitate to check out this page.
Understanding Diamond Quality: Color (Couleur)
The color of a diamond is different from what one might think; it doesn’t refer to the color of a black diamond, for example, but rather its hue. It is specific to the industry and uses a color scale to classify diamonds. The color scale ranges from D, a colorless and extremely rare stone, to Z, a light yellow, brown, or gray diamond. It’s important to note that a diamond’s color significantly impacts its value.
If you want more information about color, feel free to check out this page.
Understanding Diamond Quality: Clarity (Pureté)
Diamonds with few or no inclusions are rare and, therefore, expensive. There are different types of inclusions that can take the form of:
– Crystals
– Clouds
– Scratches
– Spots
– Air bubbles
– Clouds
– Black inclusions
The clarity of diamonds is evaluated under 10x magnification. The grading ranges from Internally Flawless, completely pure under magnification, to P3 diamonds with visible imperfections to the naked eye.
Internationally recognized standards dictate that diamond clarity should be assessed by an expert’s eye and categorizes a diamond as pure if no defects are found under 10x magnification. Based on this examination, experts categorize the diamond using a clarity scale to determine its purity and the number of inclusions.
Here’s an overview of the different categories:
– F – IF: No inclusions or very rare inclusions
– VVS1 – VVS2: Small, difficult-to-detect inclusions under magnification
– VS1 – VS2: Minor inclusions, invisible to the naked eye but detectable under magnification
– SI1 – SI2: Noticeable inclusions but difficult to see without magnification
– I1 – I2 – I3: Inclusions visible to the naked eye
Understanding Diamond Quality: Carat (Poids)
Of the four criteria, carat weight is the most well-known, and everyone knows that the higher the weight, the higher the price.
Do you know the weight in carats of a gram?
1 Carat = 0.2 grams
The carat is used because it is more precise than grams for measuring diamond weight.
Where does the word “carat” come from? It comes from the Arabic word “qirat,” which was historically used to refer to the seeds of the carob tree, known for their consistent weight and size. Nowadays, the carat is measured using a special scale that typically has a precision of 0.005 carats, which is one thousandth of a gram.
Now you know the codes and standards for determining diamond quality. You are also familiar with the 4C method used worldwide by all jewelry and diamond professionals. So now that you know how to recognize diamond quality, feel free to browse our online jewelry store and explore our certified diamonds available for purchase.
Buying a Certified Quality Diamond at the Best Price?
With Diamantaire Celinni, you can buy a diamond at the best price. As diamond experts for six generations, exclusive members of the Antwerp Diamond Bourse, and partners with leading international diamond suppliers, we offer the best selection of diamonds in France, with over 100,000 diamonds available.
If you want to browse or purchase a certified diamond, please check out our page that lists all our certified diamonds:
Search for a certified diamond with the simulator
Where to Buy a Diamond a the Best Price?
To buy a diamond at the best price in our Jewellery Shop in Dubai, please meet our diamantaire´s team in the center of the city, at Gold and Diamond Park, building 6.
Monday to Friday : from 08:00 am to 7:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday : by meeting only
Info line and reservation 7/7 from 07.30 am until 9 pm : +971 56 361 7670
We will guarantee the best price of the diamonds on the market.
